Cable support



Sept. 23; 1941. H. E. MILLER CABLE SUPPORT I 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed June 24, 1940 A 2 WW Mk 5 &MM w a M 0 i my 1 Y MM i .q k "n T J H. E. MILLER CABLE SUPPORT Sept. 23, 1941.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Filed June 24, 1940 Patented Sept. 23, 1941 CABLE SUPPORT Herbert E. Miller, Washington, D. 0., assignor to Electrical Manufacturing Company,

Battle Creek, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June 24, 1940, Serial No. 342,176

10 Claims.

The following description relates to an invention in cable supports of the type customarily used for electrical cables. These supports are ordinarily installed in the manhole compartments of underground conduits. In such circumstances it is an important consideration to provide equipment easy to install and capable of caring for an increase in the number of the cables that might be required later.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a cable support which will combine strength with a minimum of weight of metal.

A further object of my invention is to simplify the operations by which the several parts of the device are fabricated, reduce the number of parts and make them interchangeable with existing equipment.

Among the objects of my invention is to insure the satisfactory normal position of the parts without danger of accidental disengagement or removal.

Incidental to my invention I have provided novel means for holding the arms to the bracket in the desired position.

Other objects of my invention will be evident from the following description showing the preferred form of my invention and in Which Fig. .1 is a side elevation of my improved cable support;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the bracket;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the arm;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the arm with insulators mounted;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the arm;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of the arm;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank in the process of fabrication;

Fig. 7 is a side View partly in section On the line 1-1 of Fig. 8 showing a modified form of fastening and Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same partly in section on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

Broadly speaking, the improvement consists in redesign both of the supporting bracket and the arms held by it so that a minimum amount of material will be used and ease of assembly and stability will be effected. By the arrangement described hereinafter, I have found it possible to design an arm which will be supported rigidly on a bracket in a definite position at right angles thereto and braced with respect to the bracket at points above and below the arm. This avoids the necessity of relying for support upon the base or back r the bracket itself. In this way the 55 position of the arm can be established without the necessity of providing accurate dimensions and spacing for the several parts of the bracket.

The invention is an improvement over that disclosed in my earlier patent granted November 3, 1931 No. 1,830,438 to which reference, however, may be made for the broad features of devices of this type.

My preferred support consists in general of a bracket, one or more cross-arms and suitable holders of insulating material by which the one or more cables are supported on the several crossarms.

In the drawings I have shown the bracket II. This is constructed preferably of pressed steel and has a back or base portion I2. At each end the portion I2 is offset as at I3, It to provide attaching ends I4 and I5. In general it will be desired to have the base portion forwardly of the ends I4 and I5 but conditions of use may suggest the reverse arrangement to economize space. Holes I6 and I! are provided in the ends I4 and I5 respectively for the use of attaching bolts or thelike. Extending substantially for the full length of the base I2 exclusive of the ends I4 and I5 and along one edge of the base there is a flange or web I8 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This flange is integral with the base I2 and together with it provides an L-shaped angle iron.

Near the top of the flange I8 it is cut away to form the opening I9 having an enlarged inner recess 20'. A tongue 2| extends partly across the opening I9 and narrows the latter. This tongue has a transverse perforation or opening 22 by which fastening means are applied. In the example illustrated three such openings I9 are provided although the number may be increased or diminished in accordance with the particularv needs. The openings. I9 are spaced apart sufficiently to permit each to receive a cross-arm with the appropriate spacing for the insulator carried by the arm.

An arm 23 is mounted in position upon the flange I8 oppositely one of the openings I9. This arm 23 is formed from the blank 24 illustrated in Fig. 6. This blank provides the bottom 25 and two side Walls 26 and 21 which are bent upwardly to form an open upwardly extended channel. The bottom 25 at one end is slotted longitudinally as at 28. The slot has a Width sufiicient slidably to receive the flange I8 around which it straddles in the final mounted position.

The side edges of the blank are bent laterally to form the flanges 29 and 30. These flanges are punched to provide openings 3I to receive holdbase and a flange extending at a right angle from one side edge of the base, an opening running inwardly from the free edge of the flange, a perforated tongue extending partly across said opening, an arm having an upwardly directed channel and lateral flanges, a slotted bridge between said flanges at one end of the arm, the arm having a longitudinal slot in the base of the channel below the bridge, a depressed foot at the end of the said slot, an inwardly extending stop at the opposite end of the channel, an insulator seated on the arm over said channel and a strap around the insulator and attached to said flanges.

6. An arm for a cable support having a longitudinal channel and lateral flanges, a slotted bridge between said flanges at one end of the arm, a longitudinal slot in the base of the channel below the bridge and a depressed foot at the end of the said slot.

7. An arm for a cable support having a longitudinal channel and lateral flanges, a slotted bridge between said flanges at one end of the arm, a longitudinal slot in the base of the channel below the bridge, and means to hold the bridge between the flanges.

8. An arm for a cable support having a longitudinal channel and lateral flanges, a slotted bridge, extensions on the sides of the bridge, and openings in the side walls of the channel to receive the extensions of the bridge.

9. An arm for a cable support having a longitudinal channel and lateral flanges, a slotted bridge, extensions on the sides of the bridge, offset portions on said extensions and openings in the side walls of the channel to receive the extensions of the bridge with the offset portions in contact with the sides of the arm.

10. An arm for a cable support having a longitudinal channel and lateral flanges, an end portion of each flange being separate from the remainder of the flanges and bent inwardly and spaced projections on the edges of said end portions engaging over said channel.

HERBERT E. MILLER. 

